1. Field of the Invention:
This invention is directed to a security device for use in combination with a golf club bag, for the purpose of locking golf clubs within the bag to prevent theft of the golf clubs. More particularly, the golf bag lock of the invention comprises two elongated arm members with a recess therebetween for receiving the shafts of the golf clubs. The two arm members are to be mounted on the top of a club bag and can be locked together to prevent removal of the golf clubs from the bag.
2. Prior Art:
It is unfortunately not an uncommon experience for golf clubs to be stolen out of unattended club bags at golf courses or country clubs. Various types of covers have been designed to fit over the mouth of the club bag to completely envelop the golf clubs within the bag, or to provide an opening for one or more shafts of the golf clubs which is large enough to accommodate one or more golf club shafts, but not large enough to permit the removal of the golf clubs, in a locked or closed configuration. Various covers are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,570,510 (McQuirk); 1,928,922 (Adams); and 1,908,998 (Mullens). Such devices are generally made of a material which can be cut open to allow quick removal of the golf clubs. Covers for golf bags having a plurality of holes through which individual golf club shafts may extend are known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,717,959 (Cauffman), and 1,770,060 (Barlow) of which the later prevents removal of the golf clubs when the heads of the golf clubs are placed down within the bag. Use of that security device requires the inconvenience of turning the golf clubs upside down. U.S. Pat. No. 1,717,959 discloses a golf bag cover with a rotating disk made of metal, having uniformly sized holes, which can clamp the golf club shafts in place to prevent removal of the golf clubs. The metal of the cover and the uniform size of the holes allows the finish of the shafts of some of the clubs to be marred or cut, while others may be loosely held, depending upon the width of the shafts. My U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,728 discloses a cover for the top of a golf club bag, made of two semicircular shells having a padded opening in the middle for firmly retaining golf clubs between the two half shells without marring or cutting the golf club shafts. However, the shells cover the entire upper opening of the golf club bag, preventing the placement of any items within the bag when the cover is closed, and adding to the weight and unweildiness of the golf bag cover. Furthermore, the two half shells need to be carefully aligned over the retaining pins which protrude from the sides of the mouth of the golf bag, and need to be held firmly in a closed position, against the pressure of the compression pad about the golf club shafts, while a separate lock is being applied to keep the two half shells together in position on the top of the golf bag. Another drawback of that cover is that the cover completely separates from the mouth of the golf bag in an open position, and needs to be stored away on the bottom of the bag or hung by a chain from the side of the bag. Although that security device is functional, there is a need for a lighter weight security device which could be placed about the golf clubs with one hand while a conventional lock is applied with the other hand, for ease of use. It would also be useful to provide a design for a golf bag lock which could fit a variety of sizes of golf club bags, without the necessity for custom fitting the dimensions of the security device in order to assure a good fit. There is also a need for a golf bag lock which can be permanently affixed to the top of the golf bag and merely swung into or out of position over the top of the golf bag, to lock or unlock the golf clubs in place. The present invention fulfills these needs.